Objects Of Desire: Greubel Forsey

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” – Robert Browning, Andrea del Sarto

No, an enthusiast collector’s life isn’t just full of “why I bought it” (one of my recurring topics here at Quill & Pad). Part of the frustration, but also part of the enjoyment of collecting, is the need to make choices; as Mom always said, you can’t have everything.

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Technique

Pieces I love, but haven’t bought, tend to fall into four categories:

I just don’t love them enough. Either I suspect they wouldn’t have staying power for me (and hence get too little wrist time) or they sit too closely atop other pieces I have no intention of selling.

They are quite attractive, but the price/value equation doesn’t make sense to me. Think Paul Newman Rolex Daytona here: I would love to have one, but I’m unwilling to follow the current explosion in market prices.

The time just hasn’t been right. Here I’m thinking of watches like the Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight in Paris, produced in small volumes and on my list, but not yet at the top.

True objects of desire. Watches that are unattainable due to scarcity (such as the Philippe Dufour Duality) are simply beyond my ability to spend, or would require that I liquidate most or all of my collection to acquire.

In the “Objects of Desire” series, I’ll be looking at pieces that fall into the latter two categories – a mix of unobtanium and timenotrightium, as my Quill & Pad colleague Joshua Munchow might say.

And, where better to start on the topic of desire than with the watches of Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey?

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Asymétrique

Why the Desire?

I’m a huge fan of Stephen and Robert’s work for a bunch of reasons:

Purpose: they state very clearly that they devote their efforts to improving the quality of mechanical timekeeping; every watch in the line, regardless of any other included complications, is faithful to this mission.

Performance: they have been willing to put their claims to the test; one noted success was the runaway victory of the Double Tourbillon Technique in the 2011 International Chronometry Competition.

Coherence: a big, big factor for me in assessing the desirability of any watch. Are the elements of the watch harmonious and do they work together? I think that some of Greubel Forsey’s earlier efforts (for instance, the Double Tourbillon Vision models with the elongated Roman numerals, “Spiral of Infinity” engraving on the case band and lugs, and even mother-of-pearl dials) didn’t fully live up to the boutique brand’s now visible potential. More recently, Robert and Stephen have moved from strength to strength with a style that is all beautifully finished, form-follows-function masculinity.

Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 3 with bas relief engraved inscription

Distinctness: it’s hard to mistake a Greubel Forsey for anything else! Either you love them or you don’t, but those lengthy philosophical musings, etched perfectly in relief on precious metal and incorporated into many GF watches, never cease to grab me.

Good Guy Factor: my French language skills are poor enough that I haven’t gotten to know Robert at all well, but every interaction with Stephen has been a joy. He is passionate, clear, and always willing to take time during a busy show to meet with collectors and take us through the magical workings of Greubel Forsey’s new introductions.

Stephen Forsey with the author at the 2014 SIHH (photo courtesy AllenS)

Why Not Yet?

“Why can I never set my heart on a possible thing?” – Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness

Let’s face it: all of these pieces are expensive, and so there’s a real issue of having the means to afford one. That said, I’m not making it any easier on myself, as many of the “simpler” (if there is such a thing with Greubel Forsey) watches in the line don’t make my heart sing the way that the more exotic ones do.

Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Sécondes Contemporain: splendid gem-setting for those who appreciate a bit of sparkle

The Double Balancier? Absolutely faithful to the concept of improved timekeeping, and very attractive, but if I’m only going to have one Greubel Forsey, it needs to have a tourbillon. Or two. Or four.

Greubel Forsey Double Balancier

Unless, of course, it’s Stephen’s personal (note the “Proto SF” badge) Experimental Watch Technology piece, used to prove out the “balancier” concept. Note the three subdials for seconds, one for each of the two balances and one to display the average of the two in perfect synchronization. But I suspect this one isn’t available…

No, for me it’s going to be “go big or go home.” In my case, there’s an additional important attribute: dimensionality. In the same way that the Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon and A. Lange & Söhne Lange Double Split spoke to me, the three-dimensional “city under glass” look of many of the Greubel Forsey watches gets my juices flowing. So, it won’t be the Double Tourbillon Secret.

Winner of the International Chronometry Competition: the Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Technique

Greubel Forsey GMT in red gold

Would I Be Happy?

“There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.” – George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman

So, let’s say I took the plunge. What could possibly go wrong?

Seller’s remorse: while my tastes have changed over the years and I’ve sold off some pieces that no longer matched my preferences, I can’t recall many (if any) true instances of buyer’s remorse, that awful feeling just after the check is written when you wonder what in the world you were thinking. Not so for selling: there are number of former holdings I miss pretty badly, and I’d be doubly sad to part with some of the current core pieces it has taken me many years to build up.

Wearability: there are many instances, particularly in professional life, when more is less and stealth is desirable. Having that Double Tourbillon Technique looming out from under your cuff might not be the stealthiest thing!

Double Tourbillon Technique in black titanium

Expectations of perfection: these watches are about as close to technical and cosmetic perfection as is possible. Still, would I find myself obsessing even more than usual about every tiny thing that wasn’t to my exact preference? Whether the choice of cities on the GMT or the fact that the minute subdial on the Invention Piece 2 rotates clockwise, no telling the number of ways I could invent to torture myself.

Then again, these are fantastic watches! My wife does think they are cool…perhaps invade the retirement account?

Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 1 with its exposed Double Tourbillon

Which One?

“The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul” – Proverbs 13:19

All right: before sanity returns, let’s choose!

We saw Invention Pieces 2 and 3 earlier, and there’s also always Invention Piece 1, as well, with its double tourbillon whirring away. Of the three, I think I prefer IP2 with its quadruple tourbillon and really deep, dimensional look.

Right up there, as well, is the Double Tourbillon Technique: it won the chronometry prize, has the engraved plaques I like so much, and provides a feast to the eyes. But, at 47 mm in diameter it’s even larger than the others’ 43.5 mm, and then there’s that pesky clockwise-rotating minute dial.

One thing that surprised me as I was reviewing my photos from our visits with Stephen and Robert was how many times I captured the GMT. Many of my buddies were (and still are) cool to the piece, but I love it! Visible tourbillon, an entire three-dimensional globe spinning away, lots of visual interest on the back of the watch, and plenty of gizmos to set, and display, the time zones you choose. I’ve seen Stephen set the GMT twice, and am convinced that it can be done without a degree in watchmaking, but just. For some perverse reason that makes me like it even better!

Note on photographs: all photos were taken during SIHH discussions of newly introduced Greubel Forsey watches. Some watches shown are prototypes and do not reflect the exact configurations or astonishing level of finishing of the final pieces. In some cases, Stephen Forsey requested that images of some watches or elements (e.g., case back photos) not be published; the author has made every effort to honor those requests.

With the Paul Newman you are right as well. But there are some really beautiful watches out there like a 1518, 2499, 1579,… which are in my eyes all a way overpriced. But I think that is because those people who can afford those watches gamble to sell them in 5 years or so with a big profit.

Happily, I am not someone who gambles on watches to sell at a profit! In hindsight it would be easy to say that I wish I had bought all sorts of vintage pieces whose value has skyrocketed — but like you, that’s not why I am interested in watches.

Beautifully articulated post as always Gary; a pleasure to read. It is true that a GF needs to be seen in the metal to be fully appreciated. I am in your corner choosing the GMT as a favourite, however the newly presented perpetual calendar has me very curious. Alas, not nearly in my realm, and will remain a beautiful piece of art behind the glass.

Many thanks, Colton! I have another “why I bought it” post coming up in the next couple of months, along with a “behind the lens” feature on a friend’s beautiful watch and several others. I really appreciate your taking the time to comment here.

By the way, Colton, I loved the new perpetual calendar as well! Super watch. It was, however, a watch that Stephen asked us not to photograph as it was still in prototype form and so I have no images of it — not too useful for the type of photo essays I am doing here!

I will hope to have the opportunity to photograph the QP at a future date and share it on Quill & Pad.

Really: what can the ‘common and garden’ collector do about GF other than sigh? Each piece in the collection over the last ten years has brought something new to the metaphorical table; something over which we mere mortals might only drool, and fantasise. Given the stratospheric price-point, however, one is obliged to wonder at the true cost, and therefore the true value, of such innovation and such quality. Do the double or quad tourbillons by GF warrant the multiples by which they exceed the price-point of the doubles of Dubuis or the triples of Halter? Does the level of finish of a GF (admittedly, most exacting, and therefore most pleasing…) warrant the multiples by which it will exceed a Voutilainen or even (gasp!) a Dufour? Well, obviously enough people out there with enough disposable income think that to be the case! The marketing model is therefore ‘sans pareil’. Why try to sell ten widgets in the fiercely competitive $50K market when you can more easily sell one widget at $500K whilst the queue is forming?

This is not to diminish the research, ingenuity and standards which the lads at GF have invested into their work – not at all! But if we stopped to think about their watches – really think about them – stripped of all their history; their marketing; their rarity; their Emporial-wardrobe-status: what would we conclude?

Yes, the three-dimensionality of the Invention pieces is laudable, but is it overdone? Is there perhaps just a smidge* too much vacant real estate within the case? Yes, the engraving on the Invention Piece 3 is quirky, whimsical and beautifully executed but (really) what does it all mean, and how quickly will that novelty fade? The asymmetrical cases: are we really as in awe of assymetry as we pretend to be? The OCD amongst us are quite troubled by asymmetry! The size: not for the faint-of-wrist.

Of course, this is nit-picking of the highest order. You might even fairly describe it as ‘sour grapes’ – there would be nothing more pleasing than to have a ‘Secret’ or a ‘Double Balancier’ in the watchbox, and only one zero stands in the way of that goal! Until then, however, these watches (sadly) remain in the realm of ‘unobtainium’. If that, though, is the direction in which you are headed, dear friend, then all wind to your sails!

Cheers,
pplater.
(*’smidge’ – C20th, derived from ‘smidgen': a quantity, be it dimension, volume or weight, roughly equivalent to that of a hummingbird’s nose-hair).

As always, sir, provocative and well-articulated thoughts! I knew that I’d lose you at “asymmetric” with these pieces — as you know, our tastes differ quite a bit on that front — but your other observations bear substantial consideration as well.

The “vacant real estate” point is in fact my concern with the 24 Sécondes Contemporain — but for whatever reason I find the IPs and Technique very much to my taste in that regard.

Your main point — value for money — is of course relevant for anything costing remotely what high-end watches cost, and in an amplified way for these sorts of stratospheric pieces. In all of my essays here, I do try to be faithful to my “enthusiast collector” principles and criteria — first and foremost, asking whether I would spend my own hard-earned dosh on a particular watch. In this case, what we’ve learned from my actions is “not yet” — otherwise I would have made the sacrifices needed to do so.

Every year at our closing dinner of SIHH week, our gang chooses watches we’ve seen in two categories: one we would buy with our own money, and one we would buy if money were no object. This year, my “own money” watch was a certain FP Journe piece that now resides in my watchbox and on my wrist — for several of us, the “money no object” watch was the splendid Greubel Forsey Perpetual Calendar. There were also several watches mentioned that were “great pieces, but wildly overpriced” — I will leave those aside for now, but only bring them up to suggest that the G-F watch was not seen as “priced wrong,” just “darned expensive.”

The likely path for me? Pursue my passion for these pieces to closure by keeping a careful eye on the pre-owned market and swallowing hard when the time comes, or watch as the prices continue to float out of sight for me and be happy that I’ve had the chance to handle the watches and meet the people behind them. This, my friend, is what we call a high-class problem!